


bound | ballum

by lockedinmybody



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Fatherly Feelings, Fluff, M/M, Softness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-09
Updated: 2019-09-09
Packaged: 2020-10-13 13:55:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20583596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lockedinmybody/pseuds/lockedinmybody
Summary: ben has to stay in hospital for a while, and callum decides to visit him.





	bound | ballum

They want to keep him around for longer than Ben expected.  
There's nothing alarming going on, but a few of the tests don't give the results they should and he's constantly tired, so he's still in hospital two weeks after having been shot.

Being in hospital means being in a bubble, where everything is kind of alright, everyone who comes to visit him is nice to him and he doesn't have to face the woman who probably blames him for her wedding being cancelled.  
Ben tries to enjoy it, despite a little bit of guilt secretly seeping in. 

Lola brought him his phone when she visited with Lexi the other day, so that gives him some distraction.  
The urge to text Callum is enormous, but he doesn't. The fact that Callum had even come to see him was such a relief, even though Ben could see the nerves rolling off of him, shuffling near the doorway as all eyes were pointed at him.  
But he came, because he was worried. Because he _cares_. And Ben's gentle and tentative offer to have drink sometime made Callum's face light up, all soft and intimate.

Callum texts him, though.  
_Can I come over this afternoon?_  
Ben sends him an affirmative, puts his phone on the table beside his bed and sleeps for a few hours.

When Callum comes through the door, he's holding Lexi.   
"Hey, I didn't know you were coming!" Ben says grinning widely, arms outstretched to his daughter who grins back at him.  
Callum puts Lexi next to Ben on the bed and she curls up against him, Ben pressing a kiss to her head.  
"How are you?" Ben says, and Lexi lifts her head.  
"Good," she nods, but Ben can see a bit of unease in her face. He knows Lola gave her a very simplified version of what happened, and he knows there's no reason to tell her more.  
He just wishes he could make everything better, her eyes searching his face, flicking to the beeping machines.  
She's scared.

"Do you wanna tell him how you won that game we played this morning?" Callum interrupts, a kind smile as he gets Lexi's attention.  
Her face melts into something more relaxed, eyes wide as she starts telling Ben about how she introduced Callum to her favourite game and then beat him at it when they played it.  
Ben nods along, feeling more calm as he watches his daughter's excited smile. He looks to Callum for a second, who squeezes his eyes at him in reassurance.

"Are you coming home soon?" Lexi asks when her story is finished, and Ben tugs her a little closer.   
"I hope so, because I miss you lots," he pets her hair, "but I have to be better."   
She nods solemnly, and Ben huffs a small laugh.   
"You wanna finish your coloring?" Callum says, because apparently he's got everything covered, and Lexi climbs onto one of the chairs with the paper and pencils Callum hands her.

"Well, I feel like I'm not needed anymore," Ben jokes as he scoots over so Callum can sit on the bed.   
He looks away and Ben thinks he sees a slight flush in his cheeks.  
"She needs ya, Ben. You know that." Callum looks at Lexi for a moment, and Ben can see how fond he is of her.  
"I hope you don't mind me helping out a bit," Callum says, hands in his lap as he looks at Ben, "I just wouldn't want her to feel alone and Lola deserves some time with Jay after everything, and-"

"Callum," Ben interrupts, placing a hand on Callum's arm, "thank you."  
Callum blinks at him a few times and then nods.   
"She really likes you, you know," Ben says with a smile as he looks at his daughter, face scrunched up in concentration as she tries to colour within the lines.  
"It's the least I can do," Callum says, and when Ben looks back at him, there's unshed tears in his eyes, "I hate what happened to you, I hate that I can't make it better, but I can help keep her distracted."

Ben smiles softly, sitting up slowly until he can reach an arm out to Callum, placing a hand on the side of his face and pulling him in.  
He gently places his mouth on Callum's cheek, holding it there, and he hears Callum exhale quietly.  
"You've done more than enough," Ben says after he pulls back, thumb smoothing over the frown in between Callum's eyebrows.  
"And you've been through quite a lot these past weeks, Callum," Ben says, searching for Callum's eyes until he looks back, "don't forget that."  
Callum grabs one of Ben's hands and holds it.  
"Take your time with it, to process everything." Ben says, and he knows Callum understands that he won't put any pressure on him.

When Callum speaks again, his voice is wavering.  
"I just want you to be okay."  
Ben gives him a smile and squeezes his hand.  
"I will be. And so will you."

**Author's Note:**

> honestly the scene in the hospital was so sweet and soft, i wanted to write something with a similar feeling but a lil different :) feel free to let me know what you thought, and thank you for reading! <3
> 
> [tumblr](https://softlofty.tumblr.com/)


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